On May 25th, 2024, ASCE OC YMF put on the 30th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition (PSBC) at Cal State Fullerton’s Campus. The event hosted over 100 high school students from surrounding schools, each with a team and bridge design. Interested in learning about engineering and testing their skills, the students showed excitement for the competition and upcoming activities as they arrived at the business building for check-in. After going over the agenda for the day, the competition kicked off with the poster board presentations in front of the school’s engineering building. Here, the students showed the poster boards they’d prepared to represent their bridge design visually. Directly after, the four rounds of the day began, and the student groups -broken into four different groups- visited four different activities. Throughout the day, each group went on to participate in a round for Strength and Efficiency (popsicle stick bridge testing), Presentations, Civil Engineering Lab Tours, and even an Impromptu Event in which they built paper towers that had to stand at least three feet tall.
With a break for lunch and a group picture at midday, it was jam-packed with fun opportunities to learn all about civil engineering and meet peers doing the same. Following the four-round activities, the students attended the engineering panel, featuring young civil engineers from various backgrounds and concentrations. Here, the students could ask questions about civil engineering, such as how each panelist came to work in the industry, what they love about it, and how they can use creativity in their work. The event ended with announcing the winning teams and congratulating everyone for their interest and dedication. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible. Through their commitment, LA and OC YMF have been able to inspire and empower the next generation of engineers through PSBC for 30 years and counting!
We look forward to next year!
About the Author:
Brisa Bernal is a geotechnical staff engineer in Orange County, CA. When she's not working, she enjoys traveling and spending time in nature. Brisa is passionate about k-12 outreach and inspiring more girls to pursue civil engineering. Brisa can be contacted at brisarosabernal@gmail.com or via LinkedIn.
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